Emergency control system.



No. 808,271. PATENTED EEG. 26, 1905, F. B. CASE.

EMERGENCY CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24,1904.

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No. 808,271. PATENTED DEC. 26, 1905.

F. E. GASE- EMERGENCY CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24. 1904.

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APPLICATION FILED JUNEZ4.1904.

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Frcml E.'Cors.e. M Q By W/Z $1M- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK E. CASE, OF SCHENECTADY. NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

EMERGENCY CONTROL. SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1905.

Application filed June 24, 1904:. Serial No. 213,931-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. CAsn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Emergency Control Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in means for automatically controlling poweractuated brakes in case of an emergency, and is intended for use especially in connection with electrically-propelled vehicles or trains employing a braking system operated by compressed fluid.

In the case of electric vehicles running at high speeds it is desirable that the power should e cut otf and the brakes applied in the case of sickness, death, or accident to the motorman. To accomplish this end, it has been proposed heretofore to provide a valve operative upon the release of the motor-controller handle by the motorman to cut off the power and to establish the proper connections in the air-brake system for applying the brakes. The actuating mechanism that has been employed heretofore for this valve consists in a button on the controller-handle which must be kept depressed by the motorman in order to prevent the application of the brakes. This arrangement is open to the objection that the motorman is forced to keep a constant pressure on the controller-handle during the operation of the vehicle or train, which is very fatiguing to the muscles of his hand.

The object of my invention is to provide means for enabling the motorman to rest his hands during the operation of the vehicle, while at the same time insuringthat the brakes shall be applied in case the motorman becomes incapacitated from any cause. I accomplish this by providing an emergency device and operative connections therefor controllable by either of the motormans hands, thereby enabling him to rest his hands alternately.

In one aspect my invention consists in the combination, with an emergency device, of two operating-levers normally under the control of the motorman during operation of the car and connections between .both levers and the device, whereby the device may be controlled from either lever.

More specifically considered, my invention consists in the combination, with an emer gency device, of means controllable by the motorman as long as he is operating either the motor-controller handle or the handle of the motormans valve, whereby he is enabled to remove his hand from either handle without losing control of the emergency device.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows an arrangement embodying my invention applied to the handles of the controller and of the motormans valve. Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically the connections for an automatic air-brake system arranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 3 shows a detail of the emergency-valves. Fig. 4 shows a modified arrangement embodying my invention, and Fig. 5 shows a detail of the handle of the motormans valve adapted to the arrangement of Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, V represents a motormans valve of the type ordinarily employed in automatic air-brake systems, adapted to establish connections for lowering the train-pipe pressure for applying the brakes and for increasing the train-pipe pressure for releasing the brakes. Although in Fig. 2 1 have shown an automatic air-brake system, it will be understood that my invention is equally applicable to a straight air-brake system, in which the train-pipe is connected to reservoir to apply the brakes and toatmosphere to release the brakes. In the automatic system shown, R represents the reservoir charged from the compressor C and connected, through the motormans valve V, to the train-line L, to which is connected thetriple valve T with its connections to the auxiliary reservoir A and brake-cylinder A. gency-valve connected to pipe 1, leading from motormans valve V to train-line Land adapted toconnecttrain-linetoatmosphere. Theemergency-valveEis controlled by a pilot-valve P, which is controllable both from the handle of the motormans valve V and from the handle of the motor-controller C by means of the connecting-rod J. The arrangement of the emergency-valve and pilot-valve is shown clearly in Fig.3. The connection from pipe 1 opens into a chamber 2, which is separated from the chamber 6, leading to atmosphere, by a valve 3, which is normally held on its seat by the spring E represents an emer- 4:. The chamber 2 is connected, through a restricted passage 12, with the chamber 5 on the upper side of valve 3. Chamber 5 is connected by pipe 7 to chamberS of the pilotvalve P. Chamber 8 is normally closed by the valve 9, which is normally held on its seat by the spring 10. The valve 9 is provided with a spindle 11, which projects beyond the casing of valve P and which is channeled for a portion of its length, as shown. Thus when spindle 11 is pressed inward communication is established from chamber 8 to passage 12, leading to atmosphere. The chamber 5 in emergency-valve E is consequently connected to atmosphere, and since the restricted passage 12 is too small to equalize the pressure on opposite sides of valve 3 the train-pipe pressure on its lower side raises it from its seat and connects the train-pipe to atmosphere, so as to apply the brakes.

The controlling mechanism for the pilotvalve P is clearly shown in Fig. 1. 0 represents the handle for the motor-controller (J. This handle carries a button B on a spindle 7), the lower end of which engages the long arm of the pivoted lever D. The short arm of this lever is engaged by the compressionspring (Z, which normally holds the lever D and button B in the position shown. The short arm of lever D engages one end of the notched pivoted lever F, the other end of which engages the vertically-movable member Gr, the lower end of which presses upon the collar H, normally pressed upward by the spring ii. The collar H when pressed downward by depressing button B engages the bell-crank lover I, which is provided with a spring t', which is under tension when bellcrank lever I is in the position shown. Bellcrank lever I is connected by the rod J to the pivoted lever K, the lower end of which is adapted to engage the end of spindle 11, controlling the pilot-valve P. The upper end of lever K is engaged by a notched pivoted lever N, which is provided with a spring 42, which is under compression when the lever is in the position shown. The upper end of lever N is engaged by a flange m, carried by a lever M, mounted on the handle 0; of the motormans valve. The lever M is normally pressed upward by the compressionspringm. (Shown in dotted lines.) The lever M in Fig. 1 is shown in the position in which it is held by the motorman while operating the motormans valve. In this position of lever M lever K is out of engagement with the spindle 11 of pilot-valve P, and consequently the emergency-valve is inoperative. WVhen lever M is released by the motorman, it is pressed upward by the spring 921., allowing the spring a to rock the notched lever N, so as to rock lever K into engagement with spindle 11 of valve P. The rod J is retracted by the spring 11 of bell-crank lever I. Spindle 11 is consequently pushed inward and an application of the brake results in the manner that has been heretofore explained. If, however. before releasing the lever N the button B on the controller-handle is pressed down, collar H will be brought into engagement with bellcrank lever I, and lever K will be held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by means of the connecting-rod J. Consequently by the use of either hand pilot-valve P may be maintained inoperative and an application of the brakes prevented. O represents a lock pressed upward by the spring 0. The function of this look is to maintain lever N in the position shown when the handle is removed from the motormans valve. In this manner the emergency device may be rendered inoperative when the train is at rest and the motorman removes the handle of the motormans valve on leaving the train.

Referring now to Figs. 4: and 5, I have shown a modified arrangement of the controlling-levers for accomplishing the same end. In this arrangement the lever M on the handle a: of the motormans valve engages a flange 9, carried by the pivoted lever Q, the other end of which engages the spindle 11 of the pilot-valve P. The arrangement and connections of pilot-valve P and emergency-valveE are the same as have been heretofore described. The lever M is shown in the position it occupies when pressed down by the motorman. If the motorman releases the lever M, its short arm is pressed downward by the spring m, rocking the lever Q and raising spindle 11 of pilot-valve P. This results in an application of the brake in the manner heretofore described. Secured to the lever Q is a lug s, which is connected to a pivoted lever S, to the other end of which is secured the handle U. If before releasing lever M the motorman takes hold of and pulls down upon handle U, the lever Q will be maintained in the position shown and the emergency device will be rendered inoperative, and as long as he holds handle U pulled down it is unnecessary to press down on handle M. In this arrange ment, as in the former, it is obvious that the motorman may use his hands alternately to prevent the operation of the emergency device. hen the handle of the motormans valve is removed, the pressure is removed from lever Q and the emergency device is rendered inoperative, as in the former arrangement.

Although I have described my invention as applied to the control of an emergency-valve for an air-brake system, it is evident that it is applicable to any form of emergency device, whether employed for applying the brakes or cutting off the power, or both. Consequently I do not desire to limit myself to the particular construction and arrangement of parts shown, and I aim in the appended claims to cover all such modifications which are within the scope of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire'to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a vehicle, an emergency device, two levers, and operative connections from both levers to said device, whereby said device may be rendered inoperative by the operation of either lever.

2. In a vehicle, an emergency device, and independent controlling means for said device, whereby said device may be controlled by either hand of the operator.

3. In a vehicle, two operating-levers, an

emergency device, and connections between said device and both levers whereby said device is rendered operative only upon a simultaneous release of both levers.

4. In an electrically-propelled vehicle provided with an air-brake system, an emergency device, and operative connections from said device to the handles of both the motor-controller and the motormans valve,whereby said device may be controlled from either handle.

5. In an air-brake system, an emergencyvalve adapted and arranged to establish connections for applying the brakes, and inclependent controlling means for said valve, whereby said valve may be controlled by either hand of the operator.

6. In an air-brake system, an emergencyvalve, and independent controlling means therefor, said valve being arranged to establish connections for applying the brakes upon a simultaneous release of said controlling means.

7. In an air-brake system, an emergencyvalve adapted and arranged to establish connections for applying the brakes, and independent controlling means for rendering said valve inoperative.

8. In an air-brake system, an emergencyvalve adapted and arranged to establish connections for applying the brakes, and independent controlling means for rendering said valve inoperative.

9. In an air-brake system, an emergencyvalve adapted and arranged normally to establish connections for applying the brakes, and independent controlling-levers for said valve whereby said braking connections may be broken by the operation of either lever.

10. In an air-brake system,two independent levers, and an emergency-valve controlled thereby and arranged to establish connections for applying the brakes upon a simultaneous release of both levers.

11. In an air-brake system, a motor-controller, and an emergency-valve controllable both from said motor-controller and from the mo-. tormans valve and adapted and arranged to establish connections for applying the brakes.

12. In an air-brake system, a motor-controller, and an emergency-valve operative upon the simultaneous release of the handles of said controller and of the motormans valve to establish connections for applying the brakes.

from the handles of both the motor-controller 1 and the motormans valve whereby said braking connections may be broken by either of said handles.

15. In an air-brake system, a motor-controller, means arranged normally to establish connections for applying the brakes, and means operatively connected to the handle of the motor-controller and to the handle of the engineers valve for breaking said braking connections, whereby the application of the brakes may be prevented by the operation of either handle.

16. In an air-brake system, in combinatlon with a motor-controller, means operative only upon a simultaneous release of the handles of the controller and of the motormans valve for applying the brake.

17. In an air-brake system, in combination with a motor-controller, means arranged normally to establish connections for applying the brakes, and means operatively connected to the handles of the controller and of the mo tormans valve for disabling said brake-applying means.

18. In an air-brake system, in combination with a motor-controller, an emergency-valve controllable both from the handle of the controller and from the handle of the motormans valve and arranged normally to establish connections for applying the brakes, and connecting means whereby said valve may be rendered inoperative by the operation of either handle.

19. In an air-brake system, in combination with a motor-controller, means arranged normally to establish connections for applying the brakes, means operatively connected to the handles of the controller and of the motormans valve whereby said brake-applying means may be controlled by either handle, and means for disabling said brake-applying means upon the removal of the handle of the motormans valve.

20. In an air-brake system, in combination with a motor-controller, means operative upon a simultaneous release of the handles of the controller and the motormans valve for ap plying the brakes, and means for disabling said brake-applying means upon the removal of the handle of the motormans valve.

21. In an automatic air-brake system, in combination with a motor-controller, means operative only upon a simultaneous release of handle of the centroller and of the motormans IO the handles of the controller and of the movalve, whereby said trainpipe connections tormans valve for exhausting the train-pipe may be controlled by either handle.

to apply the brakes. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my 5 22. In an automatic air-brake system, hand this 23d day of June, 1904..

in combination With a motor-controller, a FRANK E. CASE.

nections for exhausting the train-pipe, and

BENJAMIN B. HULL, operative connections from said valve to the HELEN ORFORD.

valve arranged normally to establish con-1 Vitnesses: 

